Mark Oravsky

Mark Oravsky

The First Mile, a fasting program for veterans, was founded in April of 2014. Mark Oravsky, a 14-year Army Infantry veteran, experienced profound healing and change during a vision quest in the Kingston mountains of California. Prior to this experience, Mark struggled to find meaning and purpose after military service. He suffered from a litany of symptoms related to PTSD, including suicidal thoughts. His powerful experience in the wilderness paved the way for deep healing, a reconnection to self, renewed purpose, and a solid sense of identity. He is inspired to bring this experience to other veterans and people with similar backgrounds. Mark began this endeavor in Founding and building Victory Farm in Olympia, Washington, a small scale urban agricultural program aimed at reconnecting veterans with nature and community through the growing and sharing of organic produce. He trained with Rites of Passage Vision Quest and The School of Lost Borders as a guide, is certified in Applied Suicide Intervention Training (ASIST), and brings his unique perspective and set of experiences to the Vision Fast model.